The new dorky kid on the block

[ETC]

Hi Guys... I feel a bit like i have turned up at my first day at a new school and everyone is wearing brandname clothes and i have on my bargain bin "on-sale" clothes... see the truth is i have i thermoCHEF   

Figured i would get it out there and be honest - hope you cool kids dont mind  (and its not against the rules to be on here...)

I would have LOVED a thermomix but we couldnt really make room in it for our budget.  So when i saw the ThermoChef i spent nearly a week researching and considering it... and 2 nights ago my husband came home with one!  I was so suprised as i wasnt sure if he would give the ok as it was still alot of money for us but he said he knew how much i loved my mums TMix and figured he would take a chance on the Chef so i wasnt over at my mums every few nights using her thermomix for some new thing i "just had to try!" or using it for all its glorious abilities such as actually being able to process dates (my little food processor just mixed them around in the bowl  )

So there it is - i am the dorky kid but hey i figure it does the job!

I have already made 2 things from this blog and both were FANTASTIC    which is great as so far the recipe book for the TC has proved a little dismal 

I guess a little more about me would be good too!  I am from Tasmania and have 1.5 kids (an 18month old and i am halfway through baking my next  )  Thats pretty much my life... as most mothers of little ones will probably understand!
See you guys round!

[judydawn]

Hi ETC, welcome to our forum.  Can't see any reason why you cannot be part of this forum  - we are a nice friendly lot here  who are willing to share our recipes and knowledge.  It will be interesting to see how you rate your machine after having had the opportunity of using your Mum's TMX but at least now you have something that will do more than your old food processor. Is Mum on the forum, if not then tell her she should be   

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Welcome aboard ETC.  Congratulations on your purchase.  Anything that makes cooking fun and life easier is a big plus in my books. I am really interested in seeing how you rate your chef in comparison to the thermomix too. Be sure to keep us updated. 

P.S - This is probably very rude to ask but what is the price difference between the two machines?

[Bedlam]

Welcome etc, of course you are welcome- no prejudice here. Really if it saves time in the kitchen it gotta be good

[fundj&e]

You are so welcomed in this forum no one will ever make you feel silly or stupid like some forums i have belonged too in the past.

[maddy]

Hi ETC......we won't  banish you  for having a TC and not a TM    LOL!
 
Seriously.....what a lovely hubby you have, and I'm sure this forum will give you lots of ideas and recipes to use.
Please read, enjoy, and  join in 

[Halex]

ETC, bless you, you are not the dorky kid. TM's are a lot of money, how lovely of DH to surprise you. Its so nice to hear tat he actually bought you a kitchen appliance, his heartvwas there, i am sure it wil serve you well
Hally

[Carine]

Hey we all love food:  that's the idea of this forum after all    So welcome ETC!

[Cornish Cream]

Welcome aboard ETC It will be interesting to hear all about your cooking in your TC.

[ETC]

Like all things made in China you may want to ask me how my TC is going in a couple of years just after the warranty has run out    Seriously though it doesnt seem as sturdy and robust as the TM and it is missing a few features but so far the machine itself has been good and done everything i need it to.  And a few people have commented that it looks sleeker and smaller than the TM.

The price difference was just over $1000 plus the store we got it from gave us $70 in store vouchers.

Feel free to ask me any other questions.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

You shouldn't have said "feel free to ask me any other questions" as I have about 50 already! I am interested in the thermochef as I was planning to buy my Mum a TM in the coming months. My main question is how does it function without the lack of a reverse setting? Would you be able to cook pasta in it without it getting chopped up? I know it uses a slow setting but I wondered how it works in practice?

[CreamPuff63]

welcome to the forum ETC, am sure you will get lots of ideas and recipes that will be able to be used in your machine. you have the added advantage of knowing how a TM works so will be able to convert easily. we look forward to hearing more from you.

[dede]

Hi ETC, from another Tasmanian. Your DH is lovely buying you a TC. I am so glad you joined the forum as we were all curious about the new TC as its the only other machine that comes close to the TM that we know of and I know there has been another post on the forum discussing the TC but not really knowing much about them. I'm sure you will find plenty of recipes on here.
With the recipes on here are the instructions used for the TM pretty much the same for using with a TC? (Except for reverse of course)

[ETC]

Chelsea (and Dede this will answer yours too a bit) i have not tried to cook pasta in the TC yet but did wonder the same... i cooked risotto though and it was not all chopped up... looked just like TM risotto!  I would give it a go for you but we used up the last of our dry pasta at lunch today and i cant see myself cooking my homemade stuff in the machine.  Perhaps have a go in your TM on speed 1 or 2?  I think the slowest rotation for the TC is around 110 rpm unlike 60 or so for the TM so have a play.

I notice a lot of TM recipes need reverse and i have just ignored it - sometimes i have to mix for a few more seconds perhaps because the blades are "slicing" the mixture more and on reverse there is some resistance?

I have also found that sometimes i need to add a few extra minutes cooking time (like when i made TM custard it took 9 minutes instead of 7), it could be that the TC takes a little longer to get to the right temp.

I havent had the chance to use the kneed function yet but i am planning on making pasta tomorrow and that needs to use it so we will see!  I think making a heavy dough will be an interesting test since its always a bumpy ride....

CreamPuff is right about my knowing the TM making it easy for me to use TM recipes as i know what i want the TC to do and can just tweak things to suit.  So far i have not found any TM recipes that i could not do in my TC, but like i said they can sometimes need a little extra.  I must also point out that the larger indents on the side of the TC annoy me a bit as it can make getting mixtures out with a spatula and cleaning a bit more difficult.  On the plus side though the spatula for the TC is more rubbery than the TM which i like!

Oh one more thing i noticed a lot of flack about the stainless steal Varoma on the TC but whenever i have used it i dont even notice, i dont feel i am at more risk to be burned etc, could be different with the stainless steal basket insert but i have not used that yet.  I think the bigger issue with the Varoma would be how it has to lock on to the bowl differently to the TM? But perhaps not.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Such a good review ETC - thanks heaps. Sounds like you are cooking up a storm!!!